Mail-receiving device.



M. A. CANDLE. MAIL RECEIVING DEVIOE. APPLICATION FILED my 19, 1910 2 8HEETSSHBET 1.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

M. A. CANDLE. MAIL RECEIVING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAY19, 1910.

Patented Oct. 18,1910.

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MELVEN A. CANDLE, OF DAWSON, TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO.

MAIL-RECEIVING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

Application filed May 19, 1910. Serial No. 562,240.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELvnN A. CANDLE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Dawson, in the county of Colfax and 'lerritory of New Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MaiLReceiving Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to mail bag receivers used at a station for automatically removing mail bags from a moving train, and the principal object of the same is to provide simple means which will automatically release a bag from a car and cause the bag to drop into a receptacle, the bag in entering the receptacle will operate the tripping mechanism which will cause the cover of the receptacle to automatically close so that unauthorized access cannot be had to the receptacle.

In the accompanying drawings, a preferred and practical example of the inven tion has been shown, and referring to said drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective View of the improved catcher showing the same in a position to receive and deliver a bag of mail. Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view showing one compartment of the receptacle ready to receive a bag and the other compartn'lent locked. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view of a portion of one of the standards showing the manner of mounting the receptacle thereon. Fig. at is an enlarged view of a knife forming part of this invention.

The improved mail receiving apparatus comprises a frame formed of two standards 1 and 2 which are connected by a bar 3 from the center of which extends an abutment 4 supported at its other end by a standard 5. Each of said standards is provided with a seat 6 wherein a receptacle 7 is supported. The receptacle 7 is provided with a transverse partition 8 dividing it into two equal compartments 9 and 10, each of which is provided with similar mechanism. A false bottom 11 is pivotally mounted within each compartment and has a cable 12 attached to its free end, which connects it with a spring trigger 13 attached to the side of thereceptacle. A cross piece 14 is mounted midway upon the top of the receptacle and has the covers 15 and 16 mounted thereon by means of hinges 17. A metallic catch 18 is mounted upon the inner surface of each cover, the free end of which is adapted for locking engagement with a tooth 19 of the trigger 13. An outwardly-bowed spring 20 is mounted upon the outer surface of each cover and is of such length as to contact with the abutment beam 1 when the cover is raised. A lug 21 is secured at the free end of each cover and is adapted to securely hold the cover closed by entering a suitable lock 22 mounted within each compartment. Arms 23 and 2% are pivotally mounted upon each of the standards 1 and 2 to which arms a mail bag 25 is adapted to be hung by the usual hooks 26. Attached to each of the arms 23 and 2 1 is a rope adapted to set the arm in a position for delivering a bag to a moving train. A bracket arm 28 is secured to the side of a car 29, from the free end of which a sack 30 is to be suspended by a cord 31. A curved knife blade 32 is secured by an car 33 to each of the standards 1 and 2 at such a height as to cause it to sever the cord 31 when the moving train passes the station and permit the bag to drop within the open compartment. A hook 3a is pivotally mounted across the doorway of the car by the usual socket pieces and 36 and is adapted to take the sack 25 from the hooks in the well known manner.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing description that when the sack is cut from the train by the knife 32, it will fall within the compartments upon the false bottom 11 which releases the catch 18 from the trigger 13 and permits the cover to be thrown shut by the spring 20 and securely locked. If the train is going very fast, the raised cover acts as a yieldable bumper to keep the bag from being thrown past the receptacle.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A mail catcher comprising a frame, a receptacle carried by said frame, a cover for said receptacle, a false bottom pivotally mounted at one end within said receptacle, and means connecting said cover and false bottom whereby a pressure upon said bottom will cause said cover to close.

2. A mail catcher comprising a frame, a receptacle mounted 'within said frame, a cover for said receptacle, means carried by said frame for supporting a bag, means connected with said frame adapted to sever a bag from a train, and deposit the same within said receptacle, and means within said receptacle to automatically close said I said frame positioned above said receptacle,

cover when a bag is deposited within said receptacle.

3. A device of the character described comprising a frame, a receptacle, a cover for said receptacle, arms mounted upon said frame for supporting a bag, a knife attached to said frame for severing a bag from a moving train and depositing it within said receptacle, and automatic means within said rereceptacle for closing the cover thereof.

4. A mail bag receiving device comprising a frame, a receptacle carried by said frame, a cover for said receptacle, means carried by said frame to deliver a bag to said receptacle, a false bottom pivotally mounted. within said receptacle, a trigger attached to the side of said receptacle, a latch carried by said cover adapted for engagement with said trigger to retain said cover open, and means connecting said trigger and bottom to oper ate said trigger when a bag is deposited upon said bottom.

5. A mail bag receiving and delivering device comprising a frame, said frame comprising two standards, a connecting bar, an abutment mounted midway of said bar and at right angles thereto, a standard supporting the forward end of said abutment, said standards provided with seats, a receptacle mounted upon said seats, a cover for said receptacle, means carried by said first-mentioned standards for suspending a bag, means for severing abag from a train and depositing it within said receptacle, and means within said receptacle to automatically close the cover when the sack is deposited Within said receptacle.

6. A mail receiving device comprising a frame, a receptacle supported by said frame, a partition dividing said receptacle into two compartments, a cross piece mounted upon said receptacle above said partition, covers for said compartments hinged to said cross piece, means for holding said covers open, and a spring arm secured to the outer surface of said covers and adapted to close said covers when released from said holding means.

7 A device of the character described comprising a frame, a receptacle supported by said frame, a cover for said receptacle, arms pivotally attached to said frame to support a sack to be delivered to a train, ropes for adjusting said arms, a curved knife attached to said frame by means of an ear, and extending in the path of a bag suspended from a car to release said bag and deposited it within said receptacle, and automatic means connected with said receptacle to close the cover after the bag has been deposited therein. I

8. A device of the character described comprising a frame, a receptacle supported thereby, an abutment beam forming part of a false bottom pivotally mounted within said receptacle, a spring trigger attached to the side of said receptacle, said trigger being provided with a tooth near its free end, a cable connecting said trigger and false bottom, a cover for said receptacle, a catch mounted upon the inner surface of said cover and adapted for engagement with said tooth, when said cover is raised, an outwardly-bowed spring mounted upon the outer surface of said cover and adapted for engagement with said abutment when said cover is raised, and a knife attached to said frame and adapted to sever a bag from a train and deposit it within said receptacle,

said cover being released from said trigger by the weight of sack.

9. A device of the character described comprising, a receptacle, an abutment above said receptacle, covers for said receptacle, a bowed spring mounted upon each of said covers and adapted to contact with said abutment when said cover is raised, means within said receptacle for retaining said covers in an upright position, and automatically closing said covers when a sack is de posited within said receptacle.

10. A device of the character described, comprising a receptacle, an abutment above said receptacle, covers for said receptacle, said covers adapted to contact with said abutment when raised and act as yieldable bumpers for directing a bag into said receptacle, and means for retaining said covers open and automatically closing said covers after said bag has been deposited within said receptacle.

11. A device of the character described comprising, a frame, a receptacle supported by said frame, covers for said receptacle, a trigger moiuited within said receptacle, a tooth formed at one end of said trigger, a latch attached to said cover and adapted to engage said tooth when said cover is raised, and means within said receptacle to release said cover when a sack is deposited within said receptacle.

12. A device of the character described comprising, a frame, a receptacle supported by said frame, a cover for said receptacle, a knife, one end of said knife being bent at right angles to the main body portion thereof and provided with apertures adapting said knife to be secured upon said frame in a position to sever a sack from a train and means within said receptacle for closing said cover when a sack is deposited within said receptacle.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MELVEN A. CANDLE. lVitnesses J. A. HUNT, J. B. MORROW. 

